Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

I'm leaning towards Breaking Bad but we're not through yet.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

No, it hasn't. I don't think it's even close. I do love both, though.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

In the words of Tyrus, "Nope."

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

I think so. The Wire dropped in quality a notch in it's final season while BB has remained rock solid, IMO.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

Fuck no, you crazy. It's still a great show though.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

If that's the yardstick, wouldn't the better thing to say be that we'll see. If BB also drops a notch next year, things may be different.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

While I can appreciate how well made The Wire was and all that I personally always have found it pretty overrated myself. Breaking Bad is better in so many ways for me.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

IMHO it has but it hasn't passed The Shield yet.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

Yep. I love BB it's a top 5 all time but the Wire is number 1.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

I'll wait until the show is over before comparing. The Wire had one of the greatest finales possible.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

The Wire was a very good but flawed show. Even the best seasons had elements to it that I found didn't really work. Breaking Bad hasn't been uneven since the first season. It's one of the best shows that's ever been on television. The Wire doesn't even make my top ten.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

What a shock. Something that is great is shot down by you.
The Wire a flawed show? If it is BB is 10 X as flawed and unrealistic. BB has had so many plotholes and things that haven't made sense this season alone it's not even funny even though I still love the show. For you to say it hasn't been uneven is going to need some explanation. The one thing the Wire is not is a flawed show. Yeah I know it's your opinion bs but it truly suck it on this one. You are wrong.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

Yes, in its first episode. There is no more overrated show than the Wire.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

This.


The Wire is mediocre.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

I'm with you. I'd also say quite frankly that there is a chance (not a certainty but a chance) that I will end up preferring Justified to Breaking Bad after they're both done.

ETA: As to the Wire, I tried to watch the first episode once. I had too much other stuff going on. I'll try again at a quiet time. That's how I got into Breaking Bad.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

What about it's first episode?

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

:lol:

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

How is "very good but flawed" a shoot down? Most TV shows can't even get to very good status. I do not agree with the contention that The Wire is the best show ever made, but that's hardly a put down.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

I like Breaking Bad a lot, but, for me, it doesn't come anywhere near The Wire. As far as dramas go, I would even take Mad Men over BB.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

I think Breaking Bad is exceptional. It's such an exciting and engrossing show. However, I feel like it is on a wrung below The Wire. I don't feel like a show needs to make social commentary, or try to be socially relevant to get to the level The Wire has attained, but all I know is The Wire hit me in ways that very few works of fiction have.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

It's a shoot down because you state this and then say it wouldn't even be in your top 10. That to me is not a strong endorsement for a very good show.

My other problem with your post you say that BB hasn't been flawed since Season 1. I have an extremely hard time stating BB has been flawless when countless people have pointed them out over and over again. The show as great as it is has them. All the things that went on this season, can you honestly can say there were no flaws?

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

Not that I'm interested in refuting or trying to somehow show you that you're wrong Supermallet, but I would be interested in seeing what your top 10 is. I don't think it's outlandish for The Wire to not be in your top 10, since there have been a kabillion shows on TV since its inception. I'm just curious where you're coming from.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

Dead on JJ. Love the writing on Justified and Raylene Givens is a great character. Maybe it's not a fair comparison but I enjoy Justified much more than any season of THe Wire, including the phenomenal season 4.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

When did The Wire surpass everything else?
One person's treasure will always be someone else's trash-especially when it comes to art.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

People here (and a bunch of other sites) worship The Wire as though it's the be all, end all of television shows. I think it's really good but I've enjoyed a bunch of other shows over it.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

With the exception of my top choice, I will limit it to shows that have either finished their run or don't look like they'll be getting another season anytime soon, because with shows like Breaking Bad and Mad Men, my opinion could drop if the conclusions fall on their face.

And other than my top choice, the rest aren't in a specific order:

Doctor Who
Twin Peaks
Monty Python's Flying Circus
The West Wing
The Thick of It
Star Trek (I'm going to cheat here and count TOS, TNG, and DS9 as one entry)
Aeon Flux
Daria
Columbo
Your Show of Shows

Of course, that list doesn't include many many many other great series that I would count among my favorites (Buffy, Angel, Beavis and Butthead, The Office (UK), Extras, QI, Jam, The Day Today, Brass Eye, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Deadwood, Carnivale, The X-Files, etc. etc.). The Wire would be pretty far down on my list of personal favorites, but it was a well made series that had some issues. I will never understand the cult-like love people have for it. I don't even think it's as good as The Shield, personally.


So the only way I can say a show is good is if it makes my top 10? Do you know how much television has aired since the 1950's? If I could only endorse shows in my top 10 I'd be missing out on an unbelievable amount of incredible television.

As for BB, I didn't say it was flawless. I said it hasn't been uneven since season one. I feel like that the show has been incredibly consistent in quality, including this season.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

Nothing can be all things to all people. Not everyone loves the Wire. Many people dont like Citizen Kane and think The Godfather is boring. Great art basically never garners universal praise, nor should it.

Personally I don't think BB is in the same class as the Wire but its a great show.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

You don't have to read this as "Which of these two shows is the best ever?" it could just be a comparison between two critically acclaimed crime dramas with a strong drug element.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

I loved The Wire, I loved The Shield...but I fucking LIVE for Breaking Bad. I can rewatch it at the drop of a hat, talk about it endlessly and cannot wait for the final episodes. I don't think they'll botch the ending, but right now if it continues as it has, for me, it is no contest. TV's Best Show.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

I think they're about even in terms of quality but Breaking Bad has an edge by being the more entertaining of the two.

The only difference in the shows is that people actually watch Breaking Bad (though still low compared to worse shows). How often is Season 5 the most watched season of a serial? (up 50% from last season).

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

Absolutely agree with this and I'd have Deadwood above it, as well.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

For me, no. I've immensely enjoyed the ride of BB so far but I'm not even sure I will own the series once it finishes. Depends on the finale.

The Wire I find infinitely rewatchable.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

Interesting that this thread came up as last weekend, before the season finale, I was discussing with some friends that aren't into BB just how good it is. First question they asked? 'How does it compare to the Wire?'

I love the Wire and consider it my favorite show. So out of respect for that, I can't say that BB is better than the Wire until BB completes it's run. With that said, if Breaking Bad keeps up it's pace and gives up a great ending (let's be honest, the ending can make or break it) I can see it surpassing the Wire IMO.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

No. BB is a great show - well written well acted. But The Wire had a scope that made it incomparable.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

I do agree with this. Breaking Bad is more fun than The Wire. Breaking Bad gives me the feeling of a show like 24 in how it keeps me on the edge of my seat, but also has a depth to it that allows it to be compared to much better shows than the likes of 24.

Far be it for me to say someone's opinion is invalid, but I think there is a difference in recognizing something is quality, but just knowing it isn't for you, and then just saying something that is largely praised is "mediocre". For instance I do not like The Godfather. I've tried to watch it multiple times, but it's just not a movie for me. I don't like it, but I also can recognize why so many people do.

Does that mean someone can't say something like Jaws, Godfather, The Beatles, The Sopranos, *put your largely praised anything here* is mediocre or awful? Of course not. It's just hard to take such a stance serious without at least some support showing why one feels that way (which I realize wasn't the point of this thread, and I'm speaking in more generic terms).

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

No. But the show that has is Mad Men. The Wire and Mad Men are very similar in composition and share a lot of very similar story telling devices. But Mad Men seems to perfectly balance all the things The Wire had plus making excellent use of cinematography, something The Wire did not do (although, it might not have needed it).

Breaking Bad, while excellent, does not come close to either show. I suppose that possibly due to the subject matter, I have this opinion. Breaking Bad as well shares a lot if similar things with The Wire...especially in scope of secondary characters, dangling plots and season long arcs.

As it stands today (mind you this can change) I would put Mad Men at the top, The Wire second, Breaking Bad third (which is tied with Homicide, one of my all time favorites).

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

I don't wanna add to the fire but I think BB is head and shoulders better than the Wire. At least for me the Wire doesn't make my top 3 of HBO series. I thought the Wire was great but Sopranos, Six Feet Under and Deadwood would be my HBO tops and I would put the Wire right their next up with Oz. Not counting comedies.

I think BB has just about taken over my #1 spot of all shows on all networks over the Sopranos.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

Both are different examples of a rare type of excellence in TV productions.

If forced to choose I would rank 'Breaking Bad' as my preference.

Re: Has Breaking Bad surpassed The Wire?
 

Just to satisfy my own curiosity, Oz, really? While I did like Oz, it got a little too soap opera-y for me towards the middle of the fourth season. I am really curious about your opinion on that.